Air circulating system for refrigerator cars and the like



Sept.. 10, 1940. w. x:A VAN DORN AIR CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 3. 1938 4 shets-sheet 1 m. w m .m y

wm mm Nm, QM NM Sept. 10, 1940. w. E. VAN DORN AIR CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS ANDTHE LIKE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 10, 1940. w. E. VAN DORN AIR CIRCULATING sYsTEM FOR 'REFRIGERATOR GARS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 3, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 10, 1940. w. E. VAN DORN 2,214,210,

AIR CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 10, 1940 AIB. CIRCULATING SYSTEM REFRIG- ERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE William E. Van Dorn, Pasadena, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Pacific Railway Equipment Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a

corporation of California Application January 3, 1938, Serial No. 183,235

8 Claims.

This invention has to do with air circulating and Ventilating systems and apparatus, and, in its more particular aspects, with such systems and Vapparatus for refrigerator cars. Although the apparatus invention hereinafter described may be useful for purposes other than in refrigerator cars or other refrigerator compartments, the invention has as its primary purpose the circulation of air in such cars or similar compartments and accordingly will be described with that purpose in view.

The general objects of the present invention are to provide a positively driven air circulating system that is of low cost, easy and simple of installation, requires minimum servicing, does not interfere with the normal loading space or structure or operation of a car; and that is capable of maintaining a high eiiiciency of operation when driven from the car wheels or axles, regardless of the circumstances of loading or operation of the car. It is not necessary that the de- .vices of the present invention be so driven, and they may be driven by independent power; but it is an object of the invention to provide a system that will attain and maintain high emciency under all circumstances of driving and car operation and loading.

In satisfying these objects and requirements, this invention provides location of circulating fans in the space beneath lthe lading iloor or oor rack, and between that oor rack and the main oor of the car. That space, constituting an air duct, is normally approximately 6" high, to the upper surface of the lading floor, and normally extends through the whole width and length of the car between the bunkers.

'I'he novel fan system which I have devised to occupy that space, comprises a plurality of fans, here shown as of the axial flow type, mounted on `lone or more driving shafts which shafts are mounted transversely of the car. That transverse shaft mounting may be in a direction directly across, at right angles to, the longitudinal axis of the car, or in a direction diagonally across the car or diagonal to the longitudinal axis.

In order to gain eciency and uniformity of air ow over the entire width of the car, the several fans are enclosed in substantially longitudinal air ducts which direct the air ow longitudinally of the car.

Preferably, a set of such fans, togetherV with the vanes and other structure forming the necessary mountings and the air ducts, are formed as a structural unit, so as to be readily installed and readily removed for repair, servicing or replacement. And these units, as will be hereinafter described are so associated with the car floor and the lading floor as to be readily placeable andremovable.

Preferably, for reasons which will become ap` 5 v parent in the following description, the fan unit or units (of which there may be one or more, as hereinafter described) are placed near the end or ends of the loading compartment of' the car and near the openings into the ice bunkers. And arrangements are made so that preferably the unit or units at any one end of the car have a common drive means or drive system. As noted before, this drive system contemplates preferably a drive from a car axle; and the following detailed description will include a description of the essentials of such a4 drive. However, the driving means here described is not per se made the subject-matter of claims of this application, but will be made the subject-matter of a separate application.

For the purpose of describing the present preferred design vand operation of a typical form of the invention, and for indicating typical and i1- lustrative variations and modied forms and arrangements, I refer to the accompany drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken as indicated on line i-i of Fig. 5, showing a typical refrigerator car equipped with one form of my invention, this view showing also the drive system herein referred to;

Fig. 2 is a plan section of the drive system taken as indicated on line 2'2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig.,1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, said section being taken immediately above the lading iioor;

Fig. 5 is a similar plan section taken as indicated byline 5 5 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed enlarged vertical section taken as indicated by line 6 6 on Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is a sectional plan of the parts shown in Fig. 6; y

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan showing another typical arrangement of the fan and shaft unit;

Fig. 9 is a similar diagrammatic View showing another typical arrangement; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation indicating suitable arrangements of the fan units in the end portions of the car and indicating the directions of air flow which may be set up.

I may remark` preliminarily that in these drawings, and in the following description, there is no reference made to the admission or entrance of exterior air to the car. Comunication of the car atmosphere with exterior air may be in any of the usual manners, when and as desired, or in any other manner. My invention has only to do with the interior circulation of the car atmosphere.

I will first describe the fan and drive arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to '7. In these figures the car iioor is shown at 20, the lading floor or rack is designated generally by the numeral 2|, the ice compartment generally by the numeral 22, and the bulk-head which separates the ice compartment from the remainder of the car'interior is designated by the numeral 23. A typical car under-frame is shown at 24', comprising., two longitudinal beams 24 as shown in Fig. 3; a truck is shown diagrammatically at 25 and the wheel axles at 2B.

In these particular fgures the Ventilating fan system, located at one end of-the car under the floor rack 2|, is shown as a double unit, made up of the two units designated generally in Fig. 5 by the numerals 30 and 3|. Ihese two units 30 and 3| are identic in structure, excepting only that they form symmetric counterparts of each other with reference to the longitudinal axis of the car; so a detailed description of one of the units will suflice. For this purpose I now make most particular reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

In those figures the unit will be seen to be made up of a base plate 32, preferably of sheet metal with pressed raised ribs 33 along its longitudinal edges. On this base plate, and preferably welded thereto along their lower edges there stands a series of equally spaced vanes 34, which, in general, extend in a direction longitudinal of the car, while the longitudinal extent of base plate 32 is here shown as at 45 to that longitudinal axis. 'I'he vanes 34 thus extend diagonally across base plate 32. The vertical end edges of these vanes 34 lie directly on top of the ridges 33a of the ribs 33, and at their lower corners the vanes may have bent outtabs 35 which, welded to the ridges of the base plate, materially increase the strength of the weld and the rigidity of the whole structure.

Two angle forms 31, which may also preferably be of sheet metal, extend longitudinally (of the base plate) at the upper outer corners of the vertical vanes 34. 'Ihe location of these members 31 is best shown in Fig. 6; they also showin Fig. 4. Mounted on top the vanes 34, and the angle members 31, is a cover plate 38 which preferably has turned down or flanged edges 39 which overhang the vertical flanges of the angle members in place.

31; and bolts 39a or any other suitable securing means may be used for securing the cover plate The overhanging flanges 39 prevent drippage from above passing down directly into the interior of the unit; and the horizontal flanges of the angle members 31 afford supporting surfaces for the contiguous ends of the boards 2|a of the lading rack; the dimensions of the parts being such that the upper surface of cover plate 38 is iiush with the upper surfaces of the lading rack.

Fan shaft 40 is suitably mounted in bearings 4| in a position centrally longitudinal of base 32, and preferably equi-distant from base 32 and cover plate 38. On this shaft there is mounted a plurality of fans 42, in such position and so spaced that there is one such fan located in each of the spaces or ducts between adjacent vanes 34. The relationship of the fans to the adjacent vanes is'best shown in Figs. 5 and 7. In those figures it will be seen that the vanes 34, instead of being exactly straight and plane are bent at the points indicated at 43 adjacent the fan peripheries; and the fans are located in circular openings 44 in plates 45 which extend diagonally across the ducts between vanes 34 square to shaft 40 and in the plane of rotation of the corresponding fan. These plates 45 are riveted or welded at 45a to vanes 34 and are similarly secured to base plate 32. The shaft 40 passes through openings 34h in vanes 34. The fan blades of all the fans are so arranged that they all move the air in one relative direction. For instance on rotation in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. l, 5 and 6 they move the air through the ducts in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figs. 5 and 7, that is, longitudinally of the car and to the right in those figures. When the fans rotate in the opposite direction, when the car reverses its direction of travel, the air circulation is toward the left in Figs. 5 and 7. The fan blades are flat, to obtain equal eiciencies in the opposite directions.

The bends at 43 in vanes 34 eiectually increase the fan eiiiciency. It will be noted that the bends are so located and shaped that the bent vane surfaces are substantially at right angles to the central plane of rotation of the fan.

As stated before, the structure of the unit 3| is the same as that of unit 30, except that it is a counterpart symmetric with relation to the central axis of the car. The same numerals are therefore applied to unit 3|. These two units, which go to make up the complete ordouble unit, are formed at their meeting ends as is best shown in Fig. 5. The baseand cover plates of the two units 30 and 3| meet vand abut each other along the axial plane 50, which is diagonal to the longitudinal axes of the units themselves. At that end of each unit an up-standing wall 5| is provided, angled in a horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 5, and the shafts 4D extend through these walls. The object of the walls 5| is to prevent influx of outside air, or in general, heat leakage, through the belt opening in the car floor. Inside the chamber enclosed by these walls (the chamber is covered by the two cover plates 38) are located two drive pulleys 52, one on eachl shaft 40. For purposes of utilizing a `com'rnon drive for both the units 30 and 3|, or for the whole of the double unit thus made up, the two shafts 40 may be interconnected or intergeared in any desired manner; but I prefer to intcrgear them via separate drives from a common drive mechanism which I will now describe, For this purpose reference is had particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The car axle 26 which is most nearly directly below drive pulleys 52 is provided` with a split driving drum 60, the drum being of considerable length so as to effectively engage the traction wheels 62, about to be described, in any position which the drum may take as the truck 25 swings about its central vertical axis, Traction wheels 62, for the same purpose of effectively engaging driving drum 60 in any position, are equipped with rubber faces 6|. Two traction wheels 62 are illustrated, each provided with a pulley 63 for a purpose which later will be described. The traction wheels 62 are rigidly mounted on shaft 64 carried in bearings 65 which are mounted on the exterior faces o1' a casing 66 which encloses the grooved' drive pulley 81 that is also xedly mounted on shaft 64. Casing 86 is swingingly mounted at its upper end on a transverse pivot bolt 10 which is carried by the lower and forward ends of bracket members 1|, which vare medially mounted on a cross pivot 89 mounted between the webs of under-frame beams 24. (For convenience in describing this part of the mechanism the left hand end of Fig. 1 will be considered as forward.) These bracket members 1I, are in effect, le'vers whose adjustment about the cross pivot 89 will raise and lower the casing 68, and the parts carried thereby, to put the traction wheels 82 in proper position with relation to driving drum 80,

and to adjust tension on the belts to be hereinafter described. The rear upper end of these bracket members 1I is'mounted at 12 on the upper end of an adjusting stud 13 between two adjusting nuts 80. The stud 13 is mounted at itsy lower end at 14 on the cross bracket 15 mounted between flanges 24a of under-frame beams 24.

A spring pressed plunger 85 is pivotally connected at 85 with housing 68 at the side away from wheel axle 26 and a compression spring 81 which is contained within the hollow plunger 85 and in a cylinder 88 in which the plunger telescopes, presses against the end of the plunger and thus constantly presses the traction wheels 52 into proper'tractive engagement with driv- 30 ing drum en. Cylinder as is pivotauy mounted at 9| on a cross pivot 92 mounted between the webs of the under-frame beams 24.

On the same cross pivot 69 which carries the members 1| there is mounted a pair of arms 95 which extend forwardly from cross pivot 69 and carry at their forward ends a shaft 96 upon which an idler pulley is rotatably mounted. This idler pulley is made up of a central pulley sheave 91 and two outside and preferably larger pulley 40 sheaves 98,. A plurality of belts 99, preferably of V-formation and here shown as three in number, run between the driving pulley 61 and sheave 91; and two sets of V-belts |00, each set here shown embodying two such belts, run from 45 sheaves 98 directly up through the car floor 20 to the pulleys 52 on the fan shafts 40. The driving mechanism is so located on the car frame that the sheaves 98 are as nearly as practicable directly under the pulleys 52, so that the neces- 50 sarily twisted belt drive between 91 and 52 may be effected without loss of eiiiciency and with'- out undue wear on the belts.

From the structural description thus far given it Will now be readily understood that the idler 55 pulley made up of the sheaves 91 and 98 rides freely on the pivoted arms 95, so that adjustment of the bracket arm 1| about the pivot 69 will lbe effective to put both sets of belts 99 and |00 under the desired tension. Where the belts |00 run through the Ycar floor, an opening |0| through thev iioor suffices to pass them, said opening being closed ofi from the interior-of the car by adjoining walls 5| and cover plates 38; In 65 front of the sheaves 91, 98 a guard plate |05 is mounted across the space between under-frame beams 24; and a similar guard plate |06 is mounted between the beams behind the drive mechanism in such a position as shown in Fig. 1. 70 Also other guard plates |01 are mounted in horizontal position across and between the beams 24, in the positions best shown in Figs. `1 and 3. These guard plates not only protect the mechanism from flying debris but also prevent un- 75 vauthorized access to the vulnerable parts of the drive mechanism to prevent its mal-adjustment or damage by any unauthorized person.

At times when the car stands idle, it may be desired to maintain the forced air circulation within the car. For this purpose, the above mentioned pulleys 83 are provided which may described may be mounted at either end of the car; or that there may be two such complete units,-mounted one at each end of the car. In the latter case it will be most convenient to provide for the second complete unit another drive mechanism such as has been described, so as to drive that complete unit also from the car axle most nearly directly underneath.

The individual units 30 and 3| of the preferred unitary arrangement which I here describe, are

preferablyv physically separate from each other and are independently mounted on the car floor. To mount and hold them in fixed position on the car floor it is of course preferred to fasten them down to the car floor by sme suitable means, such as by screws or bolts. But whatever the means, it is preferably a means that is easily releasable, so that the units may be easily removed from the car for servicing, repair or replacement. And it may be remarked that the described engagement of the lading iioor with the units assists materially in holding them in place.

I have described how the boards or slats 2| a of the lading floor or rack have their ends resting on the ledges provided by the angle members 31. It is usual, in refrigerator cars, to provide these floor racks in at least two sections, divided down the middle of the car. Thus in Fig. 4 a section A and a section `B are indicated These sections are usually hinged at their outside edges to the car structure, and section A shown so hinged ai; H0. As shown in Fig. 4 the end portions 2|a of certain of the slats of sections A and B are -cut off diagonally so as to t upon the diagonally extending shelf provided by the angle members 31. The section C of the lading floor or rack which lies between the two mits 30 and 3| is framed into a single section with its slats 2| having ends 2Ia. cut off diagonally as illustrated, also to rest on the angle members 31;

and this whole section C is hinged at its end at To get at the fan units it is only necessary to swing the floor racks up and to remove the cover plates 38. To remove the units for servicing, repair or replacement, it is only necessary to lift the oor racks, loosen the driving belts and release whatever securing means is used to hold the unit to the car iioor. The unitary construction, and ease with which the units can be removed from the car, are one practical feature of my invention. That feature makes it possible to remove units that are Worn or need servicing, and replace them with perfect units, in much less time than arrangements. For instance, in Fig. 8, a single drive shaft 40o is shown extending diagonally across substantially the complete width of the car. The longitudinal guide vanes 34e are indicated. The single shaft 46c carries the plurality of spaced fans 42C, and a single drive pulley 52c is shown at the center of the shaft. The arrangement here typified may be mounted in the space below the lading rack, as before described.

In Fig. 9 I show again a single shaft d with a drive pulley 52d at its center, but the shaft in this case extends at right angles directly across the car. The vanes 34d in this case are shown as having oii'set bends 34e; and the fans 42d are mounted between the offset bend portions of the vanes. Upon operation, the fans in this layout will tend to drive the air longitudinally of the shaft 40d; but the bends in the vanes cause the air to take such a path as is indicated'by the arrows in the gure.

From what I have said it will be seen that the sets of fans may be located at either' one end or both ends of the car, mounted upon either a single shaft or a plurality of shafts; that the shaft or shafts may extend directly across the car or at an angle across it, and that the vanes in any case will be arranged so as to direct the air longitudinally of the car and uniformly over its entire width, being bent or straight as the circumstances may require.

The direction of circulation, and the number of fan sets (whether at one end only or at both ends of the car) may be as desired to provide the most uniform and maximum air ow. In Fig. 10 I have shown in diagram the lading rack 2|, the car oor 20, the ice compartment bulkheads 23, the ice compartments 22; and` I have indicated at F and F1 a fan which may be taken to typify the fan sets or units which I have described. I may assume first that a fan set or y unit is only used in the position indicated at F,

there being none at F1. In that case rotation of the fan will circulate the air around in a major circuit uniformly throughout the length and width of the car, under the lading rack 2|, up through one ice compartment 22,` along the length of the car to the top of the other ice compartment, and down through it. The major circulation is shown by the full line arrows; and the direction of that circulation around through the car will depend on the direction of operation of the fan unit F, depending on the direction of car movement. Either direction of circulation I find to I be satisfactory.

It will of course be understood that there is minor circulation of the airthrough the car load, regardless of what type of major circulation is set up; but it is here not necessary to speak in detail ofthe minor circulation.

Utilizing also a fan unit or set at F1, the same type of single circuit circulation as above described may be utilized, providing only that the direction of operation of fan set F1 is the same as that of fan set- F. However, if fan set F1 bedriven in such a direction as to -circulate the air relatively oppositely, then a double circuit circulation is set up whose major paths are shown by the dotted line arrows, the direction of circulation in each of these paths depending upon the direction of operation of the two fan sets and the direction of car travel. It is thus within the scope of my invention to so arrange, and to so drive the fan sets, that circulation or circulations of any desired form and direction may be set up.

And it Will be further understood that, in giving the foregoing specific and definite descriptions, I have done so only for the purpose of fully and clearly describing preferred forms and designs of my invention in order that the invention may be understood through the medium of a clear understanding of illustrative forms. The foregoing descriptions are not intended as limitations upon the invention itself, which I do not wish to be' considered as limited, except as specically so stated in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a iioor and a lading floor spaced thereabove, the combination of two fan shafts located in the inter-iioor space. extending diagonally transversely of the car in V-formation symmetric relative to the central longitudinal car axis and with ends in proximity, fans spacedly mounted along both shafts. air directing vanes associated with the fans and adapted to direct air flow in a direction substantially longitudinally of the car, and a common means for driving both shafts.

2. In a refrigerator car having a floor and a lading floor spaced thereabove, the combination of a fan unit located in the inter-oor space, said unit including an elongate base plate located on the car iioor and extending transversely of the car, a plurality of air delecting vanes mounted on the base plate, spaced along its length, and forming between them air ducts adapted to direct air ow in a direction substantially longitudinal of the car, a fan shaft extending longitudinally of the base plate, a plurality of fans driven by said shaft and located in the several air ducts, structure associated with the air deecting vanes and forming supported ledges adapted to support the lading iioor, and a cover plate mounted upon the air deiiecting vanes and having an upper surface ush with the lading floor; and means to drive said fan shaft.

3. In a refrigerator car having a iioor and a lading iioor spaced thereabove to define a horizontally extending air flow passage, the combination of a fan shaft extending transversely of the car in the horizontal air ow passage between the twoI floors, a plurality of air moving fans mounted spacedly along the shaft, driven thereby, and located substantially exclusively in the space between the two oors, air flow directing members associated with the fans, located subv stantially exclusively in the air flow passage between the two floors, and acting to direct air ilow in a direction substantially longitudinally of the car, and means for driving the fan shaft.

4. In a refrigerator car having a; floor, a transverse partition forming one Wall of a refrigerating compartment, a lading floor extending from the transverse Wall spacedly over the car floor and defining with the car floor a horizontally extending air now passage, the transverse Wall having an opening therein which affords communication for air circulation between the gitudinally of the car, and means for driving the fan shaft.

5. In a refrigerator car having a floor and a lading floor spaced thereabove to define a horizontally extending air ow passage; the combination of an air moving and directing unit comprising an elongate casing extending transversely over the car oor and disposed in the air flow passage between the two floors, said casing including a ycover disposed substantially at the level of the lading oor, and said casing having openings at its opposite longitudinal sides so that the casing interior forms a continuation of the air ow passage between the two floors, and means within the casing for moving air theretirough from one side to and out of the opposite s e. e

6. In a refrigerator car having a iioor and a lading oor spaced thereabove to define a horizontally extending air flow passage; the combination of an air moving and directing unit comprising an elongate casing extending transversely over the car floor and disposed in the air flow passage between the two floors, said casing provided with means forming a support for the lading floor, and said casing having openings at its opposite longitudinal sides so that the -casing interior forms a continuation of the air flow passage between thetwo'floo'rs, and means within the casing for moving air therethrough from one side to and out of the opposite side.

'7. In a refrigerator car having a oor and a lading floor spaced thereabove to define a horlzontally extending air flow passage; the combination oi' an air moving and directing unity comprising an elongate casing extending transversely over the car floor and disposed in the air flow passage between the two floors, said casing including a removable cover disposed at the level of the upper surface of the lading floor and adaptedto form a load taking part of that oor, and said casing having openings at its' opposite longitudinal sides so that the casing interior forms a continuation of air ilow passage between the two oors, and means within the casing for moving air therethrough from one side to andout of the opposite side.

8. In a refrigerator car having a. floor and a lading oor spaced thereabove to define a horizontally extending air ow passage; the combination of an air moving'and directing unit comprising an elongate casing extending transversely over the car floor and disposed in the air ow passage between the two floors, said casing including a cover disposed substantially at the level of the lading oor, and said casing having openings at its opposite longitudinal sides so that the casing interior forms a continuation of the air ow passage between the two floors, and means within the casing for moving air therethrough from one side to and out of the opposite side, said air moving means including a fanl shaft mounted in the casing and extending longitudinally thereof and transversely of the car, a plurality of air moving fans mounted spacedly along said shaft and driven thereby, and air flow directing members in the casing and associated with said fans and acting to direct air flow from one side of the casingto the other.

WILLIAM E. VAN DoRN. u 

